Disclaimer: Doc Martin, the program and characters are the property of Buffalo Pictures.
A/N – This story is a result of Sunanglais' challenge on the Doc Martin forum: What if Martin and Louisa had actually gone through with their marriage.
CHAPTER ONE
If only…
It had been a long day for Martin. He'd opened the surgery for a few hours in the morning as with his honeymoon approaching the villagers were going to have to make do with a part time locum and the Wadebridge surgery in his absence. Truth be known he thought work might help to keep his nervousness and apprehension in check.
He loved Louisa desperately and really wanted to make her his wife but the thought of appearing in front of the whole village to say his vows was daunting to say the least, but Louisa had wanted a church wedding and Aunty Joan would have been disappointed if he'd married in a registry office as he would have preferred.
Fortunately surgery had gone to schedule until the Vicar had appeared demanding a list of hymns for the service. If it was up to him they'd be straight in and out, he couldn't see any need for music himself. However when he noticed the Vicar's trembling hand alarm bells had rung in his head and he was immediately on the alert to track down the cause of the tremors. After smelling the Vicar's breath alcoholism came immediately to mind. The last thing he needed on his wedding day was an inebriated clergyman officiating. Unfortunately the wretched man took exception to his questioning and immediately left after banging his head on the door in his hurry to get out of the consulting room.
Before he even had time to think what to do next he had Louisa's bridesmaid Isobel in his surgery with her injured eye. The annoying woman wouldn't be quiet when he was trying to examine her and in the end he was forced to tell her to stop talking. No doubt Louisa would have something to say about that later on. He'd no sooner finished with Isobel when Roger claimed his attention, at least he was able to suggest some hymns. Hopefully once he'd given the Vicar the list of hymns all would be forgiven and he could relax until it was time to go to the church.
Martin had never been a big recipient of good luck and once he noticed the Vicar about to get himself totally incapacitated with liquor he felt he had to take control to stop his wedding becoming a total farce. However as usual things went awry when the Vicar fell and broke his hip.
The world was falling in on him, and he had no idea what he was going to do now. Only a few hours to go and now there was no Vicar to marry them. Who would have guessed that Pauline would actually have had a useful suggestion when she came up with the name of Reverend Porter.
Driving to the Reverend's secluded home Martin mentally rehearsed what he would say, trying to think of any inducements he could come up with to get him to come and marry Louisa and himself that afternoon. His mental list however had not included the necessity of having to stick his finger up the backside of Reverend Porter's favourite sow but he'd done it none the less, he would have done anything rather than disappoint Louisa.
He just wished that Reverend Porter would have kept his thoughts to himself. How was he supposed to make Louisa happy? He couldn't ever remember making anyone happy before in his whole life. He'd been a disappointment to his parents and although he knew Joan and Phil loved him, he didn't think that his presence had particularly enhanced their level of happiness in any way.
Fortunately his procedure on the pig had gone faster than planned and he was back in time to have a nice relaxing shower and get changed into a fresh suit.
When his phone rang he was surprised to see that it was Louisa. On hearing that Isobel had gone into labour and hearing the panic in Louisa's voice he had no hesitation in running to her, wishing to be with her when she was so obviously worried. He knew how to deliver a baby theoretically of course but had never actually had to do so. Fortunately he'd remembered all that was required and the birth had been straightforward even if a very fast one. When he caught that newborn child his thoughts had immediately turned to the family that he and Louisa might have one day. Looking at her he could see that her thoughts were equally far away and he hoped that she was thinking the same thing.
After seeing Isobel off in the ambulance they had turned to each other, but feeling awkward after all that had recently transpired they had made their separate ways back to their homes to get prepared.
After yet another shower, Martin had reached for his wedding suit only to discover that the dry cleaner had given him the wrong dry cleaning. Fortunately he still had a few suits left that hadn't been ruined from his activities that day. Choosing Louisa's second favourite suit he dressed himself and put the ring in his pocket.
Making his way downstairs Reverend Porter's words began to haunt him. Do you make her happy? Sitting down on the sofa Martin began to ponder the question and feared that he didn't. Starting to panic and worry if Louisa would be better off without him, Martin thought of her worried voice when she had rung him several times that day. First when Isobel had hurt her eye, then when Isobel had gone into labour. He thought about all of the times that Louisa had been in trouble and he had been the first person that she had called, and how his presence had always seemed to soothe her. Did he make her happy? He didn't know if he made her happy, but he did realise that his presence did seem to soothe her and she did depend on him.
Who could be happy all of the time anyway? Surely it was more important to be someone dependable, trustworthy and soothing. Martin picked up the ring that he had been turning around on the coffee table while he had been contemplating and hurriedly rushed out of the door.
As he was about to get in his car he saw Louisa walking up the lane towards him. Running to her he pulled her to him and kissed her urgently. Pulling her into his body he rested his head on hers and said into her hair "my darling Louisa, you're so beautiful, you mean the world to me, and I can't wait to make you my wife."
Louisa had been listening to the villagers all day and then Isobel up on the park bench. All of the negative comments that she'd been exposed to had been plaguing her and she was no longer feeling sure of Martin's love. Unbeknownst to him she was thinking of calling off the wedding as she was unsure of his feelings towards her. His declaration and subsequent embrace brought back to her memory all of the positive things about Martin, and what he meant to her and her fears were soothed.
"As we were running late, I thought we could go to the church together, I know it's against tradition, but after a morning like this morning I think we can be forgiven don't you?" Louisa asked.
Looking at her with adoration in his eyes, Martin opened the front door of the Lexus and assisted Louisa inside. Joan and Roger's face when they arrived in the same car to the wedding was priceless.
Joan ushered Martin hurriedly inside while Roger assisted Louisa out of the car. Pauline seeing Louisa arrive immediately came to help her. Although Martin had already seen Louisa in her finery she seemed even more beautiful when he saw her coming down the aisle looking at no one else but him. His heart was fit to burst and he was filled with pride at Louisa's beauty and the fact that she had chosen to marry him over all others. Taking her hand in his they said their vows to each other and before long they were leaving the church.
Sadly the reception that had been planned had fallen through as all of the food was now thoroughly squashed underneath metres of white canvas and tarpaulin. Heading towards the new reception in town Martin and Louisa looked at each other and at the crowds heading towards the new venue. Looking back at each other again Louisa said "Are you thinking what I'm thinking Martin?"
"Are you thinking about leaving this lot and going straight on to the honeymoon?"
"Yes I have no desire to be around any more villagers today. I just want to be alone with you".
"Joan will kill us, but I think it will be worth it" Martin said as he stopped in front of White Rose Cottage to collect Louisa's luggage before they headed off towards the deserted cottage that they had rented for their honeymoon.
